As Internet technology has advanced, users are able to access information on many different operating systems. Hackers take advantage of the open network architecture of the Internet, and attempt to gain access to operating systems without authorization. Hackers present a significant security risk to information stored on a operating system. In an effort to limit unauthorized access to operating system resources, many operating system communication security devices and techniques have been developed.
One security device and technique that has been used to secure operating system resources is an Internet scanner. A scanner enables a user to find and report security vulnerabilities in network-enabled operating systems. The scanner can run a list of checks, or exploits, that verify the presence or absence of known security vulnerabilities. The exploits' findings are displayed to the user, and reports may be generated showing the discovered security vulnerabilities and methods for fixing them.
Although scanners are very useful, they lack services that users need to adequately protect their operating systems. The release cycle of a scanner is long compared to the time required to develop and test individual security checks. New security vulnerabilities are introduced very rapidly, and must be found and addressed in real-time. Because hackers create problems in systems on a minute-to-minute basis, a scanner must be updated constantly to be most valuable to a user.
What is needed is a method and system for providing updated exploit information in a short time period. A scanner needs to have its components sufficiently separated so that individual information used in the scanner can be updated independently. A scanner's individual security exploits need to be updated and released independently of the entire scanner's release cycle. The exploit information needs to be available on an per-exploit basis so that minor, but important, modifications can be made without affecting the entire system. In addition, exploit information, including help information, needs to be updated independently of the exploit itself.
A further need in the art exists for a user-friendly scanner with the above update capability. The user needs to be able to use the system without needing to know whether the exploits are included in the scanner or are separately installed via update procedures.
A further need in the art exists for a scanner with the above update capability that includes mutual authentication procedures. Constant update packages necessitate ensuring that the scanner will only load legitimate updates, and that updates will only be loaded into legitimate scanners.